Terry’s Underworld
Vice’s favourite photographer wasn’t newsworthy.
Terry Richardson was one of Vice Magazine’s major contributors. He accelerated a style of highly sexual, faux-amateur (highly photoshopped) flash photography. He is at least partly responsible for SLR-owning hipsters taking grainy photos with disposable flash cameras.
‘Early Terry' was a mix of punk-rock and exploitation porn. His edginess brought him into the social spheres of the rich and famous. Lately, his work has been toned back; doing portraits of celebrities showing a keen eye for timing, composition and expression.
Richardson’s edginess began dulling into plain creepiness around 2010 when supermodel Rie Radmussen confronted him in public saying “I hope you know you only [bleep] girls because you have a camera, lots of fashion contacts and get your pictures in Vogue”. The confrontation opened the door to the first round of sexual assault and abuse allegations from models (listed below). Jezebel called him “the world’s most f — ked up fashion photographer” — a boycott of his photography gained over 35,000 signatures.
Vice said nothing and continued to collaborate with Terry.
Nature and Nurture
During the first bout of sexual assault allegations, Terry has his apologists. Supporting arguments ranging from ‘what did you expect?’ to a crass satirical article “Terry Richardson “Raped” Me Too” by ex-Vice founder Gavin McInnes.
In 2011, Terry released the book “Mom/Dad” which explored his family history — adding depth to the roots of his unhinged lifestyle. A related video of his mother struggling to walk is raw and touching. To some, this seemed like PR.
Wrecking Ball
Terry’s career continued to climb. Miley ©yrus, seeking a departure from her Disney image, drafted Terry to direct ‘Wrecking Ball’ which, at its peak in June 2013, was getting 25 million daily views. The following year, New York Magazine released a mostly flattering cover story. This was his Icarus moment.
In 2014 four more models spoke out against Terry. “I have to wonder,” One of his victims wrote in a 2014 Guardian column “is the more important question How did he get this way?, or rather How do we stop him?”
In my opinion, Terry perfected the bait and switch: he built a reputation as an ‘artist’ and arbiter of cool and was thus able to lure young models and intuitively sense who he could and could not push to their breaking point. In doing so, he became a master of cheerful degradation and irresponsible in acquiring meaningful consent.
Models are unlikely to speak out due to the short lifespan of their careers. No job security and no access to a formal sexual harassment process.
New York Mag spoke with a prominent photography agent who explains the ‘false choice’:
Kate Moss wasn’t asked to grab a hard dick […] Miley Cyrus wasn’t asked to grab a hard dick. H&M models weren’t asked to grab a hard dick. But these other girls, the 19-year-old girl from Whereverville, should be the one to say, ‘I don’t think this is a good idea’? […] This guy and his friends are literally like, ‘Grab my boner.’ Is this girl going to say no? And go back to the village? That’s not a real choice. It’s a false choice.
Another fashion-industry source told the NY Post:
…despite knowing “full well Richardson’s predatory behavior, [he’s] tolerated because industry folk are just sheep. There are only a handful of photographers who have the power, a handful of editors […] everyone else just follows this small group.”
In 2004 Terry told The Guardian “I don’t like to exploit anybody. That’s not my bag. Everyone has fun on my shoots.” But in a 2007 interview with Hint Mag he said, “like i’ve always said, it’s not who you know, it’s who you blow. i don’t have a hole in my jeans for nothing.” In a 2014 defence published on Huffington Post he tried to re-frame the allegations as internet rumours and that saying that defending himself would be a betrayal of his work and character.
Vice has made no official comment on their site. The closest thing was in 2015, when the female-focused vertical Broadly (named shortly after the TV series Broad City helped redefine the word steeped in sexism) launched and hired three of Terry’s accusers (1, 2, 3). Broadly’s Editor in Chief telling the Observer “It’s not a coincidence. Hiring these women and giving them a platform is our comment,”. Their comment?
Silence.
List of models speaking out
- Rie Radmussen: “Model snaps at fashion fotog” (Page Six, 2010)
- Jamie Peck: “Terry Richardson Is Really Creepy: One Model’s Story” (The Gloss, 2010)
- Sarah Hilker: “Exclusive: More Models Come Forward With Allegations Against Fashion Photographer” (Jezebel, 2010)
- Felice Fawn (unauthenticated): “Terry Richardson: “I Am A Pervert Like The Rest In Fashion” (Jezebel, 2011)
- Charlotte Waters: ““Oh My God, What’s Happening?” Up Close and Personal With a Terry Richardson Model” (Vocativ, 2014)
- Sena Cech: “One Model Responds To Terry Richardson’s Defense Of Himself” (Buzzfeed, 2014)
- Anna del Gaizo: “Why I’m Finally Speaking Up About What Terry Richardson Did to Me” (Jezebel, 2014)
- Sarah Ziff: “Model On Terry Richardson: I Wouldn’t Work With Him Again” (Huffington Post, 2014)
- Update: Lindsay Jones “Photographer Terry Richardson Sexually Assaulted Designer In His Studio Doorway” (Huffington Post, 2017)
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
DANIEL VOSHART has shot over 100 films including multiple music and fashion videos. He works in architecture and VR.
If you think this article contains misinformation please feel free to leave a reply or contact me directly. Unlike Vice I’m happy to issue a correction.
ABOUT NOT VICE
not vice is an Medium blog about the shenanigans of Vice Media.
